What a treat – we spent an afternoon with two exceptional Washington winemakers, John Bigelow of JM Cellars and Morgan Lee of Two Vintners Wines (et al) in April at their tasting rooms at The Vault in Maltby. Not surprisingly, their wines were exceptional and their stories kept us both intrigued and laughing at the same time. And we finally met Alice, Morgan’s sweet Black Lab, who has a stunning red wine named after her. We tasted that wine, along with several of Morgan’s mouthwatering Syrahs and his excellent Grenache Blanc, along with John’s stellar (and unreleased) Founder’s Reserve, and his amazing Grenache, Malbec, and two styles of Chardonnay. Read on for details.
Category Archives: Red Mountain
Trio of Reds
These three 2017 reds from Barrage Cellars are long-time favorites: Cease and Desist Cabernet Franc, Double Barrel Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, and Blacklisted Merlot Yakima Valley. Barrage Cellars’ website calls the winery “Washington’s best-kept secret.” But we’ve always enjoyed Kevin Correll’s stellar wines. Moreover, over the years, we noticed that they simply get better and better with each vintage. This trio of reds continues the tradition. Read on for details.
Canvasback Cabernet and Syrah
In a word, Canvasback Cabernet and Syrah are exemplary. We adored six current releases. Different words describe them – from sophisticated to hedonistic, from appealing to killer, from polished to luscious, and much more. This is not surprising because Brian Rudin, Canvasback’s very talented winemaker, is known for making terroir-driven, structured wines with an unmistakable sense of place. Duckhorn pioneers Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded the winery in 2012, and named it after the Canvasback duck, native to the Pacific Flyway. Read on for details.
Anniversary Wine
Wow, we haven’t opened this much wine in months, since way before my knee surgery. But it was our anniversary wine celebration – and these three bottles were excellent choices. In honor of BC wine month, we began with 2019 Tantalus Blanc de Blancs, a simply stunning sparkler of 100% Chardonnay with fine bubbles, bright acidity and salinity. Next came 2018 Liminal High Canyon Syrah, WeatherEye Vineyard. This impressive 100% Syrah is a silky, smooth special-occasion wine. And to round out the night, Two Vintners 2019 Oliver, which includes 70% Grenache from WeatherEye Vineyard, along with 20% Syrah, and 5% each of Petite Sirah and Cinsault. What a cool blend. Oh, what a night!